Old Interviews With Michael Ironside Reveal Why He's Not Playing Sam Fisher In Blacklist

Splinter Cell: Blacklist has picked up a ton of ire from long-time fans of the series, so much so that the game's director had to make a statement about the backlash being uninformed and based on a knee-jerk reaction. Well, one gamer compiled a few of Michael Ironside's old interviews together and juxtaposed that to the Blacklist game tropes and it's obvious that fans weren't the only ones who weren't digging the G.I. Joe, gun-ho Sam from this year's E3 footage.

It had been mentioned in passing that Ironside wasn't really pleased with Splinter Cell: Conviction. Many long time fans also expressed a measure of displeasure with the game's shallow Hollywood, man-on-fire storyline and head-blasting gameplay. However, it all comes together in a video by YouTube user Awakeisland who compiles interviews of Michael Ironside to give you a take on why he originally signed on to play Sam Fisher and pretty much why he's not playing Sam anymore in the latest game.

Most long-time fans made the smarmy remark how in the E3 video Sam killed more people than the first two games combined (and depending on your play-style, the third game as well).

Director Michael Footman was angered that fans have been spreading a lot of negativity about Splinter Cell: Blacklist and took to the offense saying that people gathered the wrong impression of Blacklist and they haven't played the game yet, so they're making uninformed accusations.

It's a little tough to gather a proper impression of the game when the E3 video was a G.I. Joe Rambo-fest and the supposed “stealth” walkthrough was a shoddy last-minute venture where non-lethality hadn't even been implemented, yet the game's multi-kill Jack Bauer-power system was working fine and dandy. Wrong impression my foot.

It's obvious Ironside really likes the series and had a deep connection with the character, hence his move to a more narrative role in Splinter Cell: Blacklist.
The dumbed down story and de-aged Sam Fisher is here to stay, though, and it's obvious Ironside won't be voicing Sam again unless the game gets back to its roots.

For those who enjoy the action-oriented, blockbuster Splinter Cell games will probably find themselves right at home with Blacklist. As for those old-school fans frustrated at the Call of Duty-direction the series has taken on, don't feel too bad, at least Michael Ironside is...on your side.